Select your brand/car

New upcoming Mini Electric car details revealed

The whole world’s auto industry is slowly inching towards an electric and green mobility system. Car makers, small, big, performance centric or mega-luxury, all are very busily working to roll out modern advanced electric cars to become future ready. In this critical time of the global auto industry, Mini is certainly not behind and preparing full-fledged to bring in its first electric model based on the very eye catching concept EV model that is already showcased last year.

The British iconic auto brand believes that its first electric model marks a crucial turning point in its history, as it directly links to the core values of the brand. Mini is currently testing its upcoming electric car model in the Arctic Circle region.

The head at Mini Sebastian Mackensen said that he believes that the Mini Electric would have been built by Alec Issigonis, had he been alive. Issigonis was responsible for the creation of the original Mini back in 1959, as a car which was the answer to the current problem back in that time. Thus, Mackensen said if Issigonis would invent the Mini at the present time, then it would certainly be a zero-emission electric car.

The Mini Electric was first showcased in its concept form at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Mini EV is currently undergoing cold weather testing in the harsh weather conditions of the Arctic region, where the range and components of a development test prototype are being tested in sub-zero temperatures. In the dangerously slippery conditions, the electric car’s handling is also being examined extensively. The company has already mentioned earlier, the electric car will be unmistakably a Mini despite being an advanced EV. Mackensen has said that Mini Electric will handle very similar to the original Mini owing to its lower centre of gravity.

The Mini EV’s range is not yet confirmed, but going by Mini’s parent company BMW’s i3 we may guess it. The BMW i3 is powered by a synchronous electric motor offering 181 bhp and 270 Nm and having a range of up to 300 kilometers.

Mackensen suggested that the Mini Electric concept’s striking design language will be toned down for the actual production model, and will take more design cues from the new 2018 Mini models while adding in the aerodynamic elements from the concept.

These features include a sans grille front fascia, veins to channel air across the body, a slot behind the front wheel to extract air and more. However, the overtly oomph factor of the Mini Electric concept would probably been given a miss.

Nevertheless, Mackensen did hint that several of the stylish design elements of the concept could remain intact on the final product, but it will clearly state that it is a part of the new Mini hatch family and noting absolutely different. I will definitely be recognized as the electric Mini, but not exactly like the concept.

The Mini Electric will be manufactured at the company’s Oxford facility in 2019.